Lessons
by WillowDryad
Summary: How much mischief could four-year-old Prince Corin cause? For Ariel of Narnia.


**Disclaimer: Edmund and Peter Pevensie and Corin Thunder-Fist and all the characters and situations in the Chronicles of Narnia belong to C. S. Lewis and not to me. **

LESSONS

Edmund nodded in approval. "All right, now tell me what you're going to say the first time."

Four-year-old Prince Corin looked up at Edmund, big blue eyes sparkling with mischief. "Ummmm . . . 'I'm sorry.'"

"Right, and the second time?"

"'I didn't mean to.'"

"Perfect. And the third time?"

Corin looked down and then lifted his eyes to the older boy, a perfect imitation of what Edmund had shown him. "'Don't you love me anymore?'"

"Excellent. You'll be just great."

Corin drew his little blond brows together in concern. "But won't it make him cross, King Edmund?"

Edmund grinned. "That's the point."

OOOOO

It was just an informal dinner. It was supposed to have been only Peter and Edmund and Lucy. They were guests at the Castle of Anvard, guests of King Lune, and there had been feasts every night in their honor. Now, though, Lune was suffering from a cold and had spent the day in bed. The Pevensies had taken the opportunity to relax and eat together just as family. And as a special treat, Prince Corin had been invited to join them.

Peter noticed that the little boy had seemed very excitable all night, talking loudly, gesturing animatedly and looking at Edmund and giggling. Lucy and Edmund were chattering away as usual, and that left Peter to talk to Corin.

"And then what?" Peter asked, lifting a spoonful of venison broth to his lips.

"Well, when the boy looked up there was a 'normous bear!"

Corin flung up one hand in his excitement and jostled Peter's arm, making him dribble broth down his chin.

"Corin." Peter blotted his face with his napkin. "Please be more careful."

Corin glanced at Edmund and then looked up at Peter. "I'm sorry."

"That's all right." Peter smiled at him. "No harm done. Now tell me what happened next."

"Well, next the bear went 'Roar!' and chased the boy into the woods. I think he was a lapsed bear. And then–" Corin shoveled a heap of mashed potatoes into his mouth, still talking. "Then they ran all through the trees and the bear got closer and closer." He scooped up another spoonful of potatoes, eyes bright. "And then guess what?"

Peter leaned down to him a little bit, encouraging him to go on. "What?"

"They ran into a cave!"

Again he flung up his hand, and the potatoes flew off his spoon and landed on Peter's cheek. Peter slid them off onto his napkin.

"Corin."

Edmund and Lucy were staring at them now, both of them trying not to laugh. Corin blinked.

"I didn't mean to."

Peter sighed and wiped his grimy cheek. "That's all right, Corin. Just be careful."

The boy glanced at Edmund again. So that was how it was.

"Go on, Cor," Edmund said in perfect innocence. "What happened next with the boy and the bear?"

Lucy pursed her lips, watching the other three, enjoying the show.

"Well, uh . . . " Corin looked at Peter, gave him his very sweetest smile, and then let the excitement come back into his expression. "They ran into the cave, and the bear was right behind the boy, growling and roaring and saying 'Ha ha ha!' because he knew he was going to eat the boy. And then the boy got really tired 'cause he couldn't run no more and the bear leapt on him!"

Once more he flung out his hand, this time tumbling Peter's goblet of wine into his lap, staining his tunic and breeches a cheerful red. No one moved. Corin looked down in shame, and then lifted his big blue eyes to Peter's. Blast it if the boy hadn't been taught to use The Eyes as well. He looked up at Peter just the way Edmund and Lucy always did, pleading and helpless and absolutely irresistible. His mouth turned down in a babyish pout.

"Don't you–"

Peter leapt to his feet, slamming both fists on the table. "Enough!"

Corin froze, blue eyes round. Edmund looked away, not quite hiding a smirk. The little beast.

"Any more of this," Peter roared, "and I will have the guilty party flogged to within an inch of his life with a wet noodle!"

Corin's lip quivered, and with a glance at Edmund, he started to sniffle. Edmund, who had been on the verge of laughing, looked faintly guilty now, but Peter wasn't about to let him confess.

"My King, My Queen," he said with a slight bow to his brother and sister. "By your favor, please leave us now. We have–" He looked at Corin, his expression grave. "–matters to discuss."

He gave Lucy a surreptitious wink, and she made a hasty retreat, barely keeping a straight face.

Edmund only got to his feet. "Peter, I–"

"No, brother. This is a serious affair, and we must see to it at once. Please go."

"But Peter–"

"We thank you for your kind concern, brother, but we will tend to it ourself. Now, upon your allegiance to us as your King, go."

Corin watched him slink out of the room, and then turned back to Peter. "Will– will it hurt very much?"

"Will what hurt?" Peter asked, struggling to keep his expression stern.

The boy stood there with his chin raised and his shoulders back, clearly afraid, but trying his best not to show it. He was a game little chap even if he was only four. No doubt he'd prove a doughty ally in time.

"B–being beat with–" Corin swallowed hard. "With a noodle."

Peter bit his lip. It wouldn't do to laugh now. Instead he knelt down and put his hands on the boy's shoulders.

"You know, I've never seen it done, but I have a feeling it wouldn't hurt in the least."

"Oh." Corin blinked. "I didn't know."

Unable to resist, Peter pulled him into a big hug. "Edmund put you up to all that, didn't he."

Corin merely looked at him, lips firmly sealed. Yes, he was a game little chap. Stout fellow and not one to tell tales out of school.

Peter chuckled. "All right, well never mind that. Instead, how about you help me with something. Would you like that?"

The sparkle came back into Corin's eyes. "Oh, yes, please."

"Very well," said Peter. "Now here's what we do."

Corin drew his little blond brows together, looking more and more concerned as he listened to the plan. "But won't it make him cross, King Peter?"

"That's the point."

And Peter grinned.

**Author's Note: Okay, I hope you liked this little bit of nonsense. This is a story that Ariyah (Ariel_of_Narnia) requested just ages ago, and I didn't have any good ideas until this just popped into my head in the middle of the night. I hope you enjoyed it, dear one!**

**Many thanks to Lady Alambiel for looking this over for me.**

**I know I haven't posted in a while. Please forgive me, and let me know what you thought of this. No, **_**The Ciaramella **_**has not been abandoned. I hope to update soon. And there's this Christmas story I have in mind . . . **

**Any requests? **


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